Paper-drying machine with roll doctors



July 2, 1929. J. E. ALEXANDER PAPER DRYING MACHINE WITH ROLL DOCTORS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 2'7, 1925 l7 Z5 451 m 19' July 2, 1929. J L D fi 1,719,793

PAPER DRYING MACHINE WITH ROLL DOCTORS Y Filed July 27, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 alt-' 5 J. E. ALEXANDER PAPER DRYING MACHINE WITH ROLL DOCTORS Filed July 2'7, 1392 5 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inn/1n,

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July 2, 1929. J. E. ALEXANDER I PAPER DRYING MACHINE WITH ROLL DOCTORS Filed July 2'7, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 dE/W/ZZ'iZazc 4 724162 qmij Patented July 2, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. ALEXANDER, O1 PORTEDWARD S, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR, BY MEBNE ASSIGN- MEN'IS, '10 MINTON VACUUM DRYER CORPORATION, OF GREENWIOH, CONNECTI- OUT, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

ureaname MACHINE wrrn ROLL neurons.

Application filed July 27, 1823 Serial No. 654,097.

This invention relates to a paper pulp or fabric drying machine and more particularly I to a machine wherein a vacuum is maintained by improved rotary doctor rolls co-actlng with sealing rolls positioned both at the points of ingress and egress of the web of Wet paper or other material which is to be conducted through the drier to be dried.

it is an object of this invention to provide to a vacuum drier with rotatable doctors at the points of entrance and discharge of a material to be dried.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a drier wherein the vacuum housing is provided with pairs of rolls having stationary doctors and rotatable doctors co-acting therewith. said rolls and the rotatable doctors provided with overlapping packing plates which are rotatable in recessed stationary plates forming part of the housing.

Another object of the invention is to probetween which a web is to pass, said'rolls having overlapping flanges thereon rotatable in recessed plates in which the flanges of a rotary doctor contacting one of said rolls are also mounted to insure sealed connections preventing the admission of air into the vacuum drier from the ends of the rolls and the rotary doctor.

It is further an object of this invention to provide a vacuum drier'wherein liquid seals are provided in stationary doctorswhich coact with a rotatable doctor and with a web feed roll which cooperates with a feed roll 1 against which the rotatable doctor engages.

It is furthermore an object of the invention to provide a vacuum drier wherein liquid seal doctors are resiliently held in sealing contact with a metal roll or a roll made of other suitable material and with a rotatable doctor which coacts with a rubber covered roll having a rotatable'mechanism acting thereon to clean the same. i

It is an important object of this invention to provide an improved type of seal for a vacuum drier, said seal embracing a pair of contacting rolls one of which is metal or other suitable material and is provided with a stationary doctor, or metal roll doctor as desired and with a spring impelled liquid-seal member while the other of said rolls is rubber covered and has co-acting therewith, a rotatthis invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the drawings and specification.

. The lnvention (in a preferred form) is illustrated 1n the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings:

F gure 1 'is a transverse section of a paper drying maohlne provided with vacuum seallng mechanisms embodying the principles of this invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing parts in elevation. vide a vacuum drier having contacting rolls Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical detail section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 with parts in elevation.

Figure 4 is an enlarged horizontal detail section taken on line 4-4: of Figure 1 showing parts in elevation.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side view of the machine on line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Flgure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail section taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a sectional elevation taken on line 77 of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is a view of one of the roll sealmg plates taken on line 8-8 of Figure l.

Figure 9 is a view of another of the roll sealing plates taken on line 9-9 of Figure 3. As shown on the drawings:

The drier unit comprises a main casing or housing 1 provided on one side with a web entrance box or intake housing extension 2 and on the opposite side with an outlet box or housing extension 3. Connected to the top of the main housing 1 is an exhaust pipe 4; which is connected with an air suction pump or condenser not shown. A drain pipe 5 is connected to the bottom of the housing 1. Mounted within the housing 1 is a large rotatable drum 6 which may be heated by electricity or other suitable means. Positioned within the housing 1 below the large drum 6 are two auxiliary guide rollers 7 around which a web 8 is guided. Also mounted within the housing 1 are web guide tables 9 over which the web is conducted as illustrated in Figure 1. K

The vacuum seal mechanisms are mounted within the boxes 2 and 3 and inasmuch as they are substantially the same the mechanisms in the box 2 will only be described in detail.

The box 2 is provided with side walls each having ,a rectangular recess 11 in the outer surface thereof and intercepting large and small circular recesses 12 and 13 in the inner surface (Figure 9). Seated in the rectangular recess 11 of each side wall 10 is a rectangular flange plate 14 which forms an integral part of a bearing sleeve 15. A rectangular frame 16 of flexible packing material is secured to the outer face of each side wall 10 and to the sleeve flange plate 14 by bolts 17 and retaining frames 18- and 19 which serve to hold the flexible packing frame 16 buckled to span the opening between the housing side wall 10 and the sleeve flange plate 14; An air-tight seal is thus-provided between the box and the bearing sleeves 15.

An upper metal roll 20 is positioned within the box 2 and is supported on a shaft 21 which projects through the bearing sleeves 15. The bearing sleeves are provided with packing rings or gaskets 22 held in place by adjustable retaining sleeves or thimbles 23. Engaged on the upper shaft 21 adjacent each end of the upper metal roll is a large packing disk 24 seated within a large circular recess 25 provided in the outer face of an inner plate or wall 26. Also disposed on each end of the large packing disk 24 is a smaller packing disk 27 which seats in the recess 13 of the side wall 10.

Fixed on one end of the upper shaft 21 is a gear 28. As shown in Figure 2 the ends of the upper metal roll 20 project into openings 29 provided in theinner plates 26. The upper gear 28 is in mesh with a lower gear 30. The lower gear 30 is fixed on one end of a lower shaft 31 which is journalled in bearing sleeves-32 which are integrally formed on the side walls 10. Packing rings or gaskets 33 are provided on the shaft 31 within the bearing sleeves 32. Adjustable retaining sleeves or thimbles 34 are provided for holding the packing rings 33 in place. Mounted on the lower shaft 31 is a lower metal feed roll 35 provided with a covering 36 of rubber or other suitable material. The ends of the lower feed roll 3536 project into circular recesses 37 provided in the inner faces of the inner side walls or plates 26.

Engaged on each end of the lower shaft 31 adjacent the end of the'lower roll 3536 is a small packing disk 38 disposed in the plane of thelarge upper packing disk 24 and engaged in a recess 39 in the inner housing plate 26. A large packing disk 40 is also engaged .on each end of the lower shaft 31 to the outside of the packing disk 38 and is engaged in the recess 12 in the side wall 10. The packing disks 24 and 40 overlap one another and with the packing disks 27 and 38 provide a sealed joint.

A frame or yoke 41 is positioned on the outside of each side of the box 2 around the shafts 21 and 31 and their respective bearings 15 and 32. Positioned in each frame 41 1s a coiled spring 42 which rests on the upper bearings 15 while the upper end of the spring is engaged against a plate 43 adjustable b means of a screw bolt 44 projecting throng 1 the upper bar of the frame 41. The springs 42 act to resiliently hold the upper roll 20 against the rubber covcrin 36of the lower roll 35.

The buckled packing frame 16 permits adjustment or movement of said upper roll. The lower shaft 31 is adapted to be driven from any suitable source of power and transmits a drive to the upper shaft 21 through the meshing gears 28 and 30.

As illustrated in Figure 1 each of the upper rolls 20 is engaged by a scraper or doctor blade 45 pivotally mounted within the housing 1. Each of the. lower rolls 35-36 is adapted to be cleaned'by means of a rotary brush 46 mounted within the housing 1 as shown in Figure 1. The brushes 46 may be operated from the driving mechanism which operates the shafts 31.

A seal is provided between each box 2 and the rolls. 20 and 36 are mounted therein. Each box 2 is provided with a wall 47 having a longitudinal opening 48 through which the paper web 8 is adapted to pass. An upper wooden doctor bar 49 is mounted in each box 2 and is provided with a concave surface 50 which frictionally contacts the upper metal roll 20. The doctor bar 49 is provided with a longitudinal groove or recess 51 which affords a receptacle for holding a liquid seal in contact with the upper metal roll 20. A metal bar or plate 52 is held in contact with the doctor bar 49 by means of a plurality of bow springs 53 adjustable by screw bolts 54.

The screw bolts 54 are threaded through a brace bar 55 the ends of which are supported in yokes 56 integrally formed on the side plates 10 of each box 2. It is understood, however, that a metal roll doctor and housingcan be also used in place of the wooden doctor bar if desired.

One end of a pipe 57 is connected to the upper doctor bar 49 and leads into the liquid groove 51 to supply the groove with a liquid to act as a seal between the doctor bar 49 and the upper roll 20, The other end of the pipe 57 is connected to a lower doctor bar 58 and communicates with a liquid groove or recess 59 therein. The lower doctor bar 58 is provided with a concave surface 60 which seats against a doctor roll 61 made of metal, rubtor roll 61 contacts the rubber covered lower roll 3536. Engaged on each end of the doctor roll 61 is a packing disk 62 which seats in a recess 63 provided in the outer side of the inner housing plate 26. The doctor roll packing disk 62 is disposed on the plane of the packing disk 38 and overlaps the large packing disk 40. The ends of the doctor roll 61 project through openings 64 in the inner housin plates 26. Seated against the lower doctoriar 58 is a metal strip against which a plurality of bow springs 66 rest. The bow springs 66 are adapted to be adjusted by screw bolts 67 which are threaded through a brace bar 68. The ends of the brace bar 68 are supported in lower yokes 69 which are integrally formed on the outer edges of the box side plates 10. A liquid supply pipe is connected to the pipe 57.

The operation is as follows:

When it is desired to dry a material such as a wet paper'web 8, or pulp, fabrics or the like, the drying machine is set in operation thereby causing rotation of the heated drum 6 and the rolls 20 and 36 together with the auxiliary guide rolls 7. The pump or condenser connected with the exhaust pipe 4 is operated thereb producing a vacuum within the machine ousing 1. The wet web 8 is fed into the housing through the opening 48 of the intake box 2 and passes between the metal ingress roll 20 and the rubber covered ingress roll 35--36. After passing the entrance rolls the wet web passes over one-pf the inclined tables 9 around one of the guide rollers 7 and u over the large heated driiiih 6' to be dried. T e dried web after leaving the drum 6 passes around another of the guide rollers 7 then over the exit table 9 out of the discharge or outlet box 3 between the outlet or egress rolls 20 and 35-36.

During the passage of the wet paper web 8 through the machine the heated drum 6 acts to remove the moisture from the web. The resulting steam together with any air in the housing 1 is sucked out through the pipe 4. A substantial vacuum is thus maintained in the drier unit since the sealing boxes 2 and 3 are provided with packing and sealing elements which act to prevent the leakage of air into said boxes and into the drying chamber of the housing 1. I

The springs 42 act to resiliently hold the upper metal roll 20 pressed against the lower rubber covered roll 3536 and ermit the paper web 8 to pass between sai rolls without permitting the leakage of air into the housing 1. The shafts 20 and 31 of the ingress and egress rolls are provided with the staggered or overlapping disks or plates 24, 27, 38 and 40 and with the flexible packing 16 and the gaskets 33, all of which serve to thoroughly seal the housing and its boxes against the admission of air. To further complete the seal in each box the upper doctor 49 is resiliently pressed against the upper metal roll 20 b means of the springs 53 which are ad ustab e by means of the screw bolts 54. A sealing li uid from the supply pipe 70 passes throng the pipe 57 and into the doctor groove 51 Figure 6 to afford a liquid seal between the doctor bar 49 and the metal roll 20. The lower roll 35 being provided with a rubber covering 36 is contacted by the rotatable doctor roll 61, against which the lower doctor bar 58 is resiliently held by means of the springs 66. The springs 66 are adapted to be ad usted by the screw bolts 67. Liquid from the pipe 57 also enters the roove 59 of the lower doctor bar 58 and afior s a liquid seal between the lower doctor bar 58 and doctor roll 61. An air tight seal is thus provided in each of the ingress and egress boxes 2 and 3 of the drying machine housing. The buckled packingframes 16 on the boxes 2 and 3 permit adjustment of the upper metal presser rolls 20 with respect tozthe lower rubber covered rolls 35-36.

As illustrated in Figure 1 the upper metal rolls 20 are scraped or cleaned by means of the scraper or doctor blades 45, while the lower rubber covered rolls 3536 are cleaned by means of the rotary brushes 46.

I am aware that many changes may be made, and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a paper machine drier unit, means for conducting a material to be dried through said unit, suction means h'atedmoisture and air from said unit to produce a vacuum therein, boxes formed on 'said unit, rolls in said boxes between which the paper web, pulp, fabrics, etc., are adapted to pass, bearings for said rolls, sealing means for said bearings, and adjustable doctors radially positioned with respect to said rolls and contacting the same to form a seal therewith;

2. A vacuum web drier comprising a drier housing, means connected therewith to produce a vacuum therein, boxes forming a part of said housing, rolls in said boxes between which a paper web, pulp, fabrics, etc., are adapted to be conducted, sealing means for said rolls, means for adjusting one of said rolls in each box with respect to the other roll in said box, a slidably adjustable doctor in each of said boxes for co-action with one of the rolls therein, andlan, adjustable rotary doctor in each of said boxes for co-action with the other roll in said box.

3. The combination with a heated vacuum drier, of a box formed thereon, rolls in said box, bearings therefor, means for sealing the bearings of said rolls, means for adjusting lOf) connected with the unit for drawing the 4 one of said rolls with respect to the other, a

grooved liquid supply doctor bar resiliently contacting one of said rolls, a doctor roll contacting the other of said rolls, a second,

grooved doctor bar co-acting with said doctor roll, and means for supplying a liquid to the grooved doctor bars.

at. The-combination with a drying machine housing, of a box formed thereon, a web feed roll in said box, a rotary doctorroll contacting with the feed roll, and a liquid supply doctor bar contacting with said doctor roll.

5. The combination with a drying machine housing, of a compartment formed thereon, a web feed roll rotatably mounted therein, a rotary doctor roll co-acting with the feed roll, a grooved doctor bar contacting the doctor roll, adjustable resilient means acting on the doctor bar for resiliently holding the-doctor roll in engagement with the feed roll, and means for supplying the grooved doctor bar with liquid to afford a liquid seal between the doctor bar and said doctor roll.

6. In a paper web drying machine a housing, a box formed thereon, a web feed roll in said box, a cleaner in said box co-acting with said feed roll to clean the same, a doctor roll, and means for resiliently holding the doctor roll in engagement with the feed roll.

7 In a paper web drying machine the combination with a web feed roll, of a rotary doctor roll co-acting therewith, and overlapping sealing disks at the ends of said feed roll and said doctor roll.

8. The combination with a drying machine housing, of an extension thereon, a metal feed roll and a rubber covered feed roll mounted in said extension in rolling contact with one another to form a seal therebetween, a scraper in said extension co-acting with the metal feed roll, and a rotary brush mechanism in said extension co-acting with the rubber covered feed roll to clean the same.

9. The combination with a vacuum drying machine housing, of a box extension formed thereon, a web feed roll mounted therein, a doctor means co-acting with the feed roll, a plurality of spring members engaging the doctor means for holding the same in resilient contact with the feed roll,'a plurality of screw bolts for adjusting the spring members, a supporting bar for said screw bolts, and yoke members on said box extension for supporting the supporting bar.

10. In a paper web drying machine the combination with a web feed roll, of an adjustable doctor co-acting therewith, and a scraper mechanism also positioned to co-act with said feed roll.

11. In a paper web drying machine the combination with a pair of web feed rolls, of a scraper mechanism acting on one of said rolls, and a rotatable cleaner acting on the other of said rolls.

12. In a dryer of the class described, the combination with a pair of material feed rolls, of doctor mechanisms and cleaning mechanisms coacting with the peripheral surfaces of said rolls on opposite sides of the vertical center lines of said rolls.

13. In a dryer of the class described, the combination with a metal feed roll, of a rubber covered feed roll coacting therewith, a scraper mechanism coacting with said metal feed roll, and a rotatable brush mechanism coacting with said rubber covered feed roll.

14. In a dryer of the class described, the combination with a metal feed roll, of a rubber covered feed roll coacting therewith, cleaning mechanisms coacting with said feed rolls, a liquid supply doctor coacting with said metal feed roll, a doctor roll coacting with said rubber covered feed roll, and a liquid supply doctor contacting said doctor roll.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JOHN E. ALEXANDER. 

